During his recent visit to Budapest, where he heaped praise on the Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán, days before the country’s decisive election, the US vice-president, JD Vance, claimed the EU was responsible for “one of the worst examples of election interference” he had ever seen.
Standing alongside Orbán, Vance said: “The bureaucrats in Brussels have tried to destroy the economy of Hungary. They have tried to make Hungary less energy-independent. They have tried to drive up costs for Hungarian consumers. And they’ve done it all because they hate this guy.”
Who are the bureaucrats of Brussels?
He probably meant the European Commission, which is responsible for drafting and enforcing EU law. The “bureaucrats of Brussels” is a longstanding Eurosceptic trope. Those who deploy it, like Vance, usually leave out the fact that EU law and policy is determined by 27 member states, mostly with the input of the European parliament.
Are these ‘bureaucrats’ meddling in Hungary’s election?
Vance did not elaborate much on his claim. His most specific allegation was that “bureaucrats in Brussels” were imposing “digital censorship” and “telling” social media companies what information to give Hungarian voters. He did not offer any evidence.
His claim misrepresents EU law. Under the Digital Services Act, the EU has opened investigations into Meta, TikTok and X over a variety of concerns, but these inquiries, grounded in a tightly defined legal process, do not amount to “telling” companies what information they can give to groups of voters.
In contrast to Vance’s appearance on the Hungarian campaign trail, EU leaders have been at pains to avoid any comments that could be perceived as revealing a preference in the election.
Has the EU tried to destroy Hungary’s economy?
Hungary has thrived since it joined the EU in the “big bang” enlargement of 2004. If in doubt, Vance could check the US government’s International Trade Administration (ITA), which reports that Hungary “boasts a strategic location in Europe [with] easy access to EU markets” – factors that attracted a host of US companies, such as Coca-Cola and Microsoft.
Over the last 22 years, Hungary has benefited hugely from EU funds. By 2018, more than 80% of Hungary’s public investment came from European funds intended to help poorer EU member states catch up with their western neighbours.
Hungary remains a net recipient of EU funds, despite widespread concern over state corruption – an issue highlighted by the US ITA. About €18bn (£15.6bn) of Hungary’s EU funds have been frozen over concerns ranging from judicial independence, discrimination against LGBTQ+ Hungarians, academic freedoms and the rights of asylum seekers. Approximately €1bn has been permanently forfeited.
Far from being singled out, the same standards apply to all EU member states. Hungary accepted these conditions.
Did the EU make Hungary less energy independent and drive up bills?
Geopolitical shocks put up energy bills. Energy costs have risen across Europe since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with a further spike after the outbreak of the US-Iran war.
That includes Hungary, where households have seen increasing gas prices. The Orbán government has made energy a central campaign theme and blamed rising bills on EU sanctions on Russian fossil fuels.
The EU has now pledged to phase out Russian fossil fuels permanently – despite opposition from Hungary. EU officials say that Russia was never a reliable supplier, recalling when Moscow cut gas supplies in 2006, 2009 and 2014, an experience that affected millions of consumers, including in Hungary.
The Trump administration, hostile to renewable power, appears to overlook that Hungarians benefit from some of the lowest electricity prices in Europe, thanks to a unheralded boom in solar energy production.